PDF download
The ISO standards are available for download immediately in PDF format without any additional delivery charges. We do not have the capability to supply hard copy standards documents.

How much time do I have to download the PDF document?
You have up to seven days to download the PDF document following purchase. It will not be possible to download the standard at a later date, so please ensure that you perform all downloads in a timely manner.

Searching for Standards
Our database contains over 8,000 ISO Standards and IEC Standards. This means that it can be difficult to find specific standards documents. As a result we have developed the 'smart search' function which makes it easier to locate the ISO standard that you require. To search for a standard document start by going to the home page and entering your search query, followed by clicking on the 'Search' button.

The search query that you enter can be as detailed or as wide ranging as you think you need. The more precise the text that you enter as a the search text then the fewer results that are displayed. If you have the exact title of the document that you are searching for then please enter the full ISO standard name. Otherwise type in part of the document title or the standard number.

The search box allows you to enter a search query in many ways. For example, 'ISO 9001:2008' may be entered as '9001' and the system will still list the appropriate standards.

What are the licensing options when purchasing ISO Standards?
You can choose to purchase individual ISO standards for use by one authorised user or company/organisation through to buying collections (or sets) of standards which relate to one another at a discounted price. There are also licensing options for sites and subscription options as well.
You will need to determine the best solution for your specific needs.

Why do ISO Standards documents cost so much?
The use of the internet and other means of electronic distribution in general have made the cost of distributing the final agreed standards documents much lower. However, this has not led to any real lowering in the costs of drawing up and the process of agreeing the standards. This means that initially the standards documents appear to be expensive versus other publications that many people buy on a day to day basis.

Most of the standards setting bodies are non-profit organisations. Their whole objective is the development and maintenance of standards. Thousands of volunteers around the world spend time developing standards documents and sitting on committees to agree the standards. This requires costs to be incurred in the form of the expenses of these volunteers plus the staff required to coordinate and project manage the standards development process.

There are hundreds of thousands of current standards published and in active use at any moment in time. The costs of developing each standard are broadly similar, however the revenue raised from selling the standards varies tremendously since each standard can appeal to a very different sized audience. Yet, a standard document which is used by only a relatively few people can be as important to society as a whole as one which is purchased by many people.

It is possible to receive a discounted rate when purchasing ISO standards documents by becoming a member. Further details can be found when you select the standard that you wish to purchase.

What is a Standard?
It is a published document that contains a technical specification or other precise criteria designed to be used consistently as a rule, guideline, or definition. A standard is an agreed, repeatable way of doing something.
Standards help to make day to day trade and people's live simpler. They also increase the reliability and the effectiveness of many goods and services.

Any standard is a collective work. Committees of manufacturers, users, research organizations, government departments and consumers work together to draw up standards that evolve to meet the demands of society and technology. Standards are created by bringing together the experience and expertise of all interested parties such as the producers, sellers, buyers, users and regulators of a particular material, product, process or service.

Standards are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations. However, laws and regulations may refer to certain standards and make compliance with them compulsory.

In modern business, effective communication along the supply chain and with legislative bodies, clients and customers is imperative. Standardization can deliver measurable benefits when applied within the infrastructure of a company itself. Business costs and risks can be minimised, internal processes streamlined and communication improved. Standardization promotes interoperability, providing a competitive edge necessary for the effective worldwide trading of products and services.

What are the different types of standards?
The ISO standards represent the agreed consensus on current best practice at an international level in whichever field the individual standards relate to.

There are numerous other industry specific standard setting bodies in the various countries around the world. For example there is a range of European standards under the 'EN' prefix, such as CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, ECISS, AECMA.